EXCLUSIVE: Suit Up with the Cast of Netflix’s Daredevil

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Geek & Sundry was lucky as hell to be invited to the premiere of Netflix’s new show, Daredevil, from Marvel Television. The first in a series of four shows, all centered around a different fan-favorite “street-level” Marvel character, all leading up to the miniseries The Defenders, Marvel needed Daredevil to come out fighting. And holy s***, does it!

We talked to all the stars of the show, including Boardwalk Empire’s Charlie Cox, who plays the titular blind-lawyer-by-day, ass-kicking-vigilante-by-night, Matt Murdock. Cox said the moment when he finally puts on the classic red suit towards the end of the series wasn’t just an epic moment for him, but the entire close-knit crew of the show. Cox really understands the conflicted and multi-layered superhero, saying that what intrigued him the most while doing research was that Daredevil was Catholic, and that was something that hasn’t really been explored outside of the comics for ol’ Hornhead.

True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll takes on the role of Karen Page, the classic love interest for The Man Without Fear. Most surprisingly, Woll let us know that this iteration of the character would actually combine all eras of Karen, not just pluck her from one specific time, like her more innocent secretary days in the sixties, or her more devastating ones in the eighties (Karen Page eventually became a drug addict who sold Daredevil’s secret identity for a fix). And although there’s no mention of Elektra (Daredevil’s longtime lover/adversary/brainwashed ninja assassin) in this first season, it seems that focusing on Karen Page is going to serve us fans very well.

Elden Henson (The Hunger Games) plays Franklin “Foggy” Nelson, law firm partner and best friend to Matt Murdock. Playing one of the best “buddy” relationships in all of comics, Henson said it was easy with Charlie Cox, who’s such a likable guy. What Henson wouldn’t tell us, however, was the bet that Murdock lost to Nelson, to get his name to come in second for their law firm. Something about Marvel keeping his first born hostage, or something…

Rosario Dawson (Sin City) seemed to really revel in the fact that her character was a bit of an unknown, obscure one. Claire Temple, a.k.a. Night Nurse, is an amalgamation of a few different women in the world of Marvel comics, and Dawson made sure to point out to the fans that they may not exactly know what’s coming for her.

Vincent D’Onofrio, one of the best actors working today, can’t wait for people to see their take on Wilson Fisk, otherwise known as The Kingpin. D’Onofrio praised the writing of show runner Steven DeKnight and the different layers they brought to the classic crime lord. And, as Marvel comics fans know, The Kingpin has a long history of getting in the way, so D’Onofrio’s excited to come back to the role for future seasons (or movies) if he’s asked.

After chatting with the actors, and producer Jeph Loeb and show runner Steven DeKnight, they let us watch the first two episodes. We can say, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that Daredevil is Marvel’s best show. The level of grittiness and violence used is perfect for the character, who lives in a gritty, violent world. The show takes place in a post-Avengers New York, where aliens came down and destroyed a lot of it. But outside a mention to Iron Man and Thor, there are no superheroes to save Hell’s Kitchen. Just Matt Murdock. And his abilities aren’t enhanced by computer generated effects, or wire-work. It’s just bare-knuckle brawling. It’s tough to watch. And it’s awesome. The show is beautifully shot, expertly directed by Phil Abraham, and the scripts by Drew Goddard are sophisticated and raw. This is the superhero show you’ve been waiting since high school for. It makes Arrow look like The Golden Girls. This is the closest thing to an R-rating Marvel Studios has ever attempted, and after binge watching the show, you’re gonna want ALL your Marvel characters to get shows on Netflix. I’m talking to you, Punisher. (Hell, even you, Ghost Rider.)

Netflix’s Daredevil really is one of the great comic book adaptations to date, and it’s a very welcomed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.